Fluid flow control in wells



Feb. 4, 1964 J. H. BAYLEss FLUID FLow CONTROL 1N wELLs Filed Dec. 5. 1960 United States Patent O 3,120,267 BLUE) FLGW CONTRL IN WELLS Sack H. Bayless, Houston, Tex., assigner, by rnesne assignments, to .iersey Production Research Company, Tulsa, Sida., a corporaticn of Delaware Filed Bec. 5, 1961i, Ser. No. 73,727 tlaims. tCi. 16o-53) The present invention concerns controlling the flow of well uids in response to temperature changes of the fluids.

In. many instances when a subsurface reservoir containing oil or gas or both is subjected to an in situ combustion process by injection of air or oxygen into the reservoir, lluids produced from the reservoir are at elevated temperatures because of the combustion front moving by or into a producing well or by backflow of heated iluids into an injection well.

Produciton of these lluids at temperatures may result in extensive damage to well equipment, e.g., packers, well pipe, etc., because of the high fluid temperatures or the high corrosion rates accelerated by the high uid temperatures.

A primary object of the present invention is to prevent damage to well apparatus from this cause by providing a valve mechanism designed to automatically restrict or close olf the flow of production fluids from wells in response to increased temperatures of these lluids above a predetermined or selected temperature level and to open and permit partial or unrestricted lluid llow upon a decrease in fluid temperatures to below the predetermined temperature level.

Essentially, the invention comprises a method of controlling liow of production lluids from wells in response to variations in temperature of the production fluids. Included in the inventive concepts are different forms of heat responsive apparatus for controlling fluid llow from the wells.

The above object and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical, partly-sectional view of a well bore having arranged therein a production tubing in which is positioned a temperature-sensitive valve device mranged in its fully open position;

FIG. 2 is a view taken on lines 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a vertical, partly-sectional view of the temperature-sensitive valve device shown in FIG. 1 arranged in its fully closed position;

FlG. 4 is a vertical, partly-sectional view of la modification of the temperature-sensitive valve device of FIGS. 1 and 3;

HG. 5 is a vertical, partly-sectional view of another type temperature-sensitive valve device; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical, partly-sectional view of still another type temperature-sensitive valve device.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, in FIG. 1 is shown a casing pipe string 1li' set in a borehole which penetrates a subsurface formation 11?. Pipe string 1li and formation 11 are perforated by perforations 12. A production tubing string 13 for conveying yto the earths surface production uids from formation 151 is arranged in pipe string 1t?, -and a pack-o 14 arranged on tubing string 13 closes olf the annui-us A between tubing string 13 and casing pipe 19 above a series of openings 15 in the lower end of tubing string 13. A movable sleeve 16 provided with openings 17 is arranged in tubing string 13 and is connected at its lower end to a temperature-sensitive spring 1S, which is supported in a recess 19 in a plug 2l) closing the lower end of tubing string 13.

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Spring 13 may be of any material having suitable strength and a suiciently high coeicient of expansion, i.e., greater than 1O 106 per in. per `degree C. These materials could be steel, silver, bronze, stainless steel, brass, etc. However, the preferred material is a bimetallic element composed of two strips of ditferent metals rmly bonded together by any suitable means, such as soldering either with soft solder or silver solder, brazing, welding, or pressure fusing. The two metals should have widely different coeliicient of thermal expansion. For instance, alurninum and Invar steel (36% nickel steel) have coeicients of 24x10-G and 0.9-6, respectively, and consequently would make a good lbirnetallic spring element. Other metals that may be used together with their coefficients of expansion (in./in. C.) are magnesium, 27 l06g lead, 25 106; aluminum, 24 1O5g silver, 19 106; brass, 19 lll-6g bronze 18 1G6g annealed steel, 1l 1G-6; chromium, 7 106g tantalum, 7 l06g molybdenum, 5 X10-5; tungsten, 4)(106. Invar steel, 0.9X1O-6.

The upper end of spring 1"'8 is welded to a coupling designated 21, which in turn is connected to the lower end of sleeve 1e. i re manner of construction and connection of spring 13 and sleeve 1o permits the spring -to expand vertically but transmits no torque to sleeve 16. Bimetallic elements usually are made in Strips from 1/s in. to 1/2 in. wide and of any lengths. By making spring element 1S from a bimetallic element wound with the hat `axis perpendicular to the length of the spring, the primary movement of the spring is up and down, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. As seen in FIG. 2 more clearly, keys 22 positioned on the exterior surface of sleeve 16 are engaged with vertical slots 23 formed on tubing string 13. It' a spring of bimetallic material was arranged coiled with the liat face parallel to the length of the spring, then heating would impart a rotary motion to sleeve 16, and the slot in tubing would be spirally configured. Thus, although not shown in any of the figures, spring 18 could be welded both to lower plug 2li and the lower end of sleeve 16 with the bimetallic element of spring 18 joined in a plane vertical to the spring body axis. In this form a spiral motion would be transmitted to sleeve 15 as it moved vertically in response to increased temperatures. One purpose of keying sleeve 15 to tubing string 13 is to maintain openings 15 and 17 in lateral or circumferential alignment. Sleeve 16 has a lower position in which openings 15 and 17 are aligned (FlG. 1) `and an upper position in which openings 17 and 15 are out of alignment (FIG. 3) and intermediate positions in which parts of openings 15 are closed oft by sleeve 1.6 (not shown).

As seen in B1G. 1, when openings 15 and 17 are aligned so as to provide openings 15 with full or unrestricted openings, production fluids from formation 11 pass into annulus A through aligned openings 15 and 17 and upwardly through tubing string 13 as indicated by the arrows.

When the temperature of the production fluids increases, spring 18 expands and moves sleeve 16 upwardly. Suliicient expansion oi `spirng '1 causes openings -17 to move out of alignment with openings 15, which closes off ilow of fluids through these openings, as seen in FlG. 3. 'the amount of fluid flow through openings 15 and 17 may be calibrated to any degree of temperature rise desired depending upon the type of materials used to construct bimetallic spring 18. Spring 13 retracts upon cooling, since the metals forming the spring contract upon coolling, and returns sleeve 16 to its original position shown in Fifi'. 1. The weight of sleeve 16 should be suh'icient to cause it to return to its original position. However, if desired, a light spring bias may be used to aid the return of sleeve 15 to its original position. Keys 22 are arforces.

ranged in slots 23 to limit the travel of sleeve 16 so that openings and 17 remain aligned (openings 15 fully Y open) even though the production liuids become cooler than the predetermined temperature at which the openings are aligned. Y Y

In FIG. 4 a modilication of the temperature-sensitive portion of the apparatus shown and described with regard to FIGS. 1 3 is shown. ln this `figure inner sleeve 116 is connected through a piston member 2,5 to a pot or cylinder 26, which contains mercury 27. Pot 26 is retained in position by means of a screw 23 threaded through plug 21?. The operation of this embodiment is the `same as that of the apparatus of FiG-S. 1 3. Thus, an increase in temperature of the production fluids heats mercury 27,'which causes the merucury to expand and move piston member 25 and weighted sleeve 16 upwardly Y to restrict or close oit ports or openings 15 in tubing string 13. A decrease in the temperature of the production fluids surrounding pot 26 cools mercury 27, which permits piston member 25 and sieeve y16 to return by gravity to their initial positions in which full or partial openings `are provided through openings 15 in tubing string 13 depending upon `the temperature.` ln this ligure light springs 29 bias piston member 25 downwardly and aid return of sleeve 16 to its initial position.

Another modiication of the temperature-responsive valve :apparatus of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 5. In this modification `a tubing string 32 similar to tubing string 13 ofY the previous embodiments, is formed with lower outer openings 33 and an inner opening 34, which has formed on the lower side thereof a seat 3'5 for a valve rod 30, which is connected to cylinder 26 containing mercury 27.V lLight' springs 37 interconnect plug 2i? and rod '30 and aid in retracting rod 36 to its original position. -A guide member 38 may Xbe arranged in tubing string 32 tomaintain rod aligned with opening 34. lIn opera-` tion, when fluids surrounding cylinder 26 are suiciently hot, the mercury 27 in the cylinder heats up and err- Y pands and forcesV valve rod 30 upwardly to restrict or close off the flow of fluids through openings 33 in tubing string 32 and opening 34; When cooler viluids surround cylinder 26, the mercury 27 cools permitting valve rod 3i) to retract under the bias of springs 37, Vthereby reopening opening 34 for the flow of fluid therethrough. lf the temperature of the fluids in the well bore rises above the temperature needed to close olf opening 34, then rod 3d will (be compressed and seat 35 will be subjected to undesirable Therefore, if desired, a section of stili spring may be placed in rod V31)* to absorb any extra expansion of mercury 27 in cylinder 26 caused by the elevated temperature. accomplish this same relief.

In FIG. 6 a modilication of the temperature-sensitive portion of the subsurface valve of FIGS. 1 3 is shown. As seen in this ligure, along rod of aluminum 4t) has been substituted for spring 1S and coupling connection 2-1. The upper end of rod 4Q is directly Welded to the lower A spring-biased slip joint in rod 30 also would end of sleeve 16, and a guide member 41 is arranged in the lower end of tubing string 13 to aid in maintaining rod 46 vertically aligned. The operation of this embodiment of the invention is the same as that described for the device of FlGS. 1 3; that is, upon increase in the ternperature of fluids produced from formation 11 above a selected temperature, `aluminum rod 40 expands causing sleeve 16 to move upwardly and seal oli iluid iow through openings 15 in tubing string 13, and upon cooling of the production uids to temperatures below the selected temperature, aluminum rod 4d retraots to its original position .in which openings 15 and 17 are aligned, las seen in FIG. 6.

Having fully described the objects, nature, operation, and elements of my invention, -I claim:

`1. Apparatus for `controlling ow of production fluids :from a well comprising: a production tubing string arranged in said well and provided with openings located down-hole; packer means arranged on said tubing string above sm`d openings for closing oit the annulus between `said tubing string and said well wall; and temperature responsive means arranged in said tubing string adjacent said openings adapted to vary the size of said openings to thereby vary flow of said iluids from fully free to fully'restricted tlow through said openings in response to increases in the temperature of said uids and from fully restricted to fully free ilow through said openings in response to decreases in the temperature of said liuids.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said temperature responsive means includes a bimetallic spring element.

3. :Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said temperature responsive means includes a mercury containing cylinder.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 1-wherein said temperature responsive means includes an aluminum rod.

" 5. Apparatus for control-ling the flow of production Y References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS v1,050,225 Nelson Jan. 14, 1913 1,813,122 Moore July 7, 1931 1,880,778 Byers Oct. 4, 1,932 1,961,280 `Crites June 5, 1934 1,992,424 Halliburton Feb. 26, 1935 2,621,427 Peo Nov. 19, 1935 

1. APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING FLOW OF PRODUCTION FLUDIS FROM A WELL COMRPISING: A PRODUCTION TUBING STRING ARRANGED IN SAID WELL AND PROVIDED WITH OPENINGS LOCATED DOWN-HOLE; PACKER MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID TUBING STRING ABOVE SAID OPENINGS FOR CLOSING OFF THE ANNULUS BETWEEN SAID TUBING STRING AND SAID WELL WALL; AND TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE MEANS ARRANGED IN SAID TUBING STRING ADJACENT SAID OPENINGS ADAPTED TO VARY THE SIZE OF SAID OPENINGS TO THEREBY VARY FLOW OF SAID FLUIDS FROM FULLY FREE TO FULLY RESTRICTED FLOW THROUGH SAID OPENINGS IN RESPONSE TO IN- 